Mayor: Kenai's outlook is great

Posted: Thursday, June 16, 2005

By MARK QUINERPeninsula Clarion

Kenai Mayor Pat Porter said the city of Kenai is projecting record sales tax revenues and has a $20,000 surplus in its fiscal year 2006 budget, which she attributed to strong economic growth when she spoke at Wednesday's Kenai Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

"Kenai is a great place to live," Porter said.

She said the city has seen businesses in the community expand and seen a lot of positive growth patterns.

The city estimated it would receive $4,085,000 in sales tax revenue in 2006, she said.

Porter said she had heard that every dollar spent in the city comes back seven times. To illustrate that point, she had plants on each table with two one dollar bills clipped onto each one.

She had a trivia contest and people who answered them correctly were able to keep one of the dollars  with the condition they spend it in Kenai.

Here is a breakdown of the $9,687,890 general fund budget:

n The city clerk's department has $124,953 and one person on staff.

n The Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center was allocated $114,350 and no staff is funded by the city.

n Kenai's legislative budget, such as city council member salaries, supplies and advertising, is $106,452. There are seven city council members.

n The legal department has a $220,980 budget and two employees.

n For the city manager's department, there is $184,976 budgeted, one full-time and one half-time staff person.

n The finance department has $421,696 with four full-time employees and one half-time employee.

n There is one half-time employee for land administration and $8,350 was budgeted.

n For nondepartmental costs, $399,965 was set aside, and there is no staff for this portion of the budget.

n The planning and zoning department has two full-time employees and $162,853.

n A safety program for city employees was budgeted $16,110 with no staff.

n Public safety has $4,4-24,797. The police department has 18 full-time and one half-time employee. The communication staff has eight people. Two people work for animal control and 16 for the fire department.

n Public works, such as a sewer treatment plant and maintenance of city streets and the harbor, employs 14 full-time employees and one part-time employee. Their budget is $2,247,737.

n The library has six full and a three-quarter time employees and a $542,810 budget. Porter said the library's budget was increased this year.

n The parks and recreation department and a beautification program has $678,261 with two full-time and 15 seasonal employees.

n The city has $4,746,935 in its enterprise fund  meaning it's not supported with taxpayer money  and is not included in the general fund. This includes things such as Kenai Municipal Airport, water and sewer and senior citizen programs.